


Runs In The Family

by thisisthefamilybusiness



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Family, Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Cannibalism, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Dinners, Murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-07-24
Packaged: 2017-12-21 04:42:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/895920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisisthefamilybusiness/pseuds/thisisthefamilybusiness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Lecters could have been ripped right out of a Norman Rockwell painting: all happy, all smiling, all beautiful and well-dressed and intelligent. The only thing strange about the Lecter family was, in fact, how perfectly not-strange they were. </p><p>Fill for the following prompt on HannibalKink: "Abigail/Bedelia/Hannibal - AU Murder Family. Abigail is Hannibal and Bedelia's biological daughter and they train her well in their ways."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Runs In The Family

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Это у нас семейное](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6527068) by [Yallen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yallen/pseuds/Yallen)



The only thing strange about the Lecter family was, in fact, how perfectly not-strange they were.

Hannibal and Bedelia were both well-known psychiatrists who shared a very successful practice together, having met at a professional conference years ago and married shortly afterward. They'd been married for twenty years in apparent bliss and had one perfectly-mannered teenage daughter named Abigail.

Abigail was an honours student at the same elite boarding school her mother had attended, where she was involved in the archery team, the theatre program, and the debate team. She had nothing but the best grades, certain to be just as successful as both of her parents were, and every time she came home on holiday from school, her parents took her on a week-long hunting trip to celebrate, hunting being their mutual passion.

After every trip, the Lecters would return with several coolers of fresh meat from their hunt, and because, to quote Bedelia Lecter, "...it would be rude to not share the bounty," they would host one of their famous dinner parties, featuring some of their hunt's spoils as prepared by Hannibal. The family made a perfect team of gracious hosts, Bedelia always there to keep conversation going, Hannibal always cooking exciting dishes with exotic names like he'd been a five star chef in another life, Abigail always ready to entertain with a story of her adventures at school and a new piece to play on the clavier as taught by her father.

* * *

Impeccably mannered, all dressed elegantly in perfectly tailored clothing, clever and charming, all attractive, successful in everything they did, the Lecters were the model family.

Once, Abigail's roommate her freshman year had commented on it, jokingly asked if Abigail's family was made of robots, "like in 'The Stepford Wives'," she'd said.

Her roommate went missing the next day, never to be seen again. Abigail had been distraught, of course, the entire school had been panicked.

But when Hannibal and Bedelia took Abigail back to their hotel room near the school, to "remove her from the site of what is clearly a trauma temporarily", the tears and upset stopped the moment Bedelia locked the room a door.

"Why did you kill her, Abigail?" Hannibal asked mildly, taking a seat on the bed beside his daughter.

She beamed up at him. "She was rude."

Pride shone in Hannibal's eyes, even as Bedelia scowled at them both. "Did you honour her, Abigail?" Bedelia whispered.

"Of course. The cooks let me use the cafeteria kitchen whenever I like because I always use my own ingredients and leave them leftovers and clean up when I'm done. She won't be found, I promise. There are wild pigs in the woods, they can consume an entire body in one day."

"This case has attracted a lot of attention, Abigail. Did you even think about how much danger you would have put us all in if you hadn't been careful? You've been very selfish," Bedelia said. "And selfishness is a rudeness of the first order."

The pride in Hannibal's expression didn't wane, but he did stand up and curl his arm around Bedelia's waist, leaning with her against the cheap beige hotel wallpaper. "Your mother is right, Abigail. You should have informed us before you acted. You know that we would have helped you however you needed us to if you'd asked."

Abigail's smile vanishes. "I'm sorry, I just thought... I thought I would make you proud."

"You did, sweetheart, of course you did. You learned from the best, after all. But you can't be so thoughtless next time," Bedelia soothed.

"What did you make when you honoured her?" asked Hannibal.

"Liver patê with truffles. There's some for both of you in my bag," Abigail quickly offered.

At that, Bedelia and Hannibal both have to smile. "She truly is your daughter," Bedelia murmurs, before turning back to Abigail.

"You know, I saw a wine shop a few blocks from here. I believe a merlot would go excellently with a truffle patê. Shall we go for a walk?"

"The two of you and your patterns," sighed Bedelia. "Well, you know I'm not one to turn down a nice meal."

* * *

The Lecters could have been ripped right out of a Norman Rockwell painting: all happy, all smiling, all beautiful and well-dressed and intelligent.

One of the boys Abigail lured in for their hunt once asked how they managed to be so content together, more than a little drunk and rudely speaking with his mouth full at the cabin's small dinner table.

Bedelia had hidden her grin in a sip of wine, sharing a knowing look with her husband in the dimness of the candlelight.

Abigail tilted her head a little and smiled, envisioning all the ways she could help her mother butcher him, all the recipes she could help her father make. "Oh, I think it's just something that runs in the family."

**Author's Note:**

> Title and inspiration from the song of the same title by Amanda Palmer.


End file.
